As a young boy, George was keen on understanding the intricate nature of human interaction. Living within the confines of his small world, he imagined complex worlds governed by people who plotted and conspired to maintain their power. Soon, his view of the world and his imagination led him to begin crafting stories that challenged the core concepts of heroism, power, politics, and human nature.
He Is an Avid Comic Book Fan
Though many people know him for writing fantasy stories about kings, knights, and lords, George R. R. Martin is an avid comic book fan. He got introduced to comic books while at Marist High School. Since then, his passion for comics has increased.
While still in High School, George wrote several amateur superhero stories in fanzines and even started corresponding with other comic fans. Though he read comics from Marvel and DC, his interest grew toward Marvel’s Fantastic Four and Avengers.
His writing soon got recognized as some of his works got published. He won the Alley Award for Best Fan fiction for his work on the superhero story ‘Powerman vs. The Blue Barrier.’ George was so obsessed with comic books that he stated Stan Lee was a better influence on him than Shakespeare, and when he got famous, he met his hero after years of writing about him.
He Started Selling Books While He Was Still a Child
After George’s parents moved from his great-grandmother’s house to a federal housing project near his mother’s past house, his world shrunk as his school was on Fifth Street and his house on First Street. The confined world he found himself in led him to fantasize about traveling and having different adventures.
George began writing monster stories and selling them to the children in his neighborhood for pennies. He also started writing stories about his pet turtles. He imagined they were killing each other when they began mysteriously dying. It led him to write stories about his turtles being in a mythical kingdom.
His Mother Was Rich
Before George was born, his mother was a wealthy woman. However, she lost all of her wealth during the Great Depression and moved into her grandmother’s house, where he was born. Though his mother lost everything, they still stayed in the same neighborhood as her former house, and he stated he walked past his mother’s old house every day, reminded that he came from greatness.
His Career Almost Got Ruined by a Novel
Though many people know him for A Song of Ice and Fire, George almost got ruined by a novel. In 1983, he released ‘The Armageddon Rag.’ However, it was a commercial failure. George stated it practically wrecked his writing career at the time and made him consider getting into real estate. However, one year later, a call from Betsy Mitchell would lead to George writing ‘Tuf Voyaging.’
He Added the Last R to His Name
When he was born, George’s full name was George Raymond Martin. At the age of 13, he added the name Richard as his confirmation name. Years later, he will admit that he is non-religious.
He Is Opposed to a Fan Fiction of His Series
Even though he was a staunch fan of Marvel and wrote several fanfiction stories, George dislikes fanfiction creations related to his epic series, A Song of Ice and Fire. When asked why he did not want a fanfiction spinoff from his series, he stated that the lack of authenticity in modern fanfiction made him dislike it. He said he wrote original characters in his fanfiction comic stories not dependent on characters already existing, unlike current fandoms.
He Objected to Joining the Vietnam War
After graduating from the university and earning his M.S., George was eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War. However, he objected to joining the war. He applied for a conscientious objector status, making him go for a two-year alternative service as a VISTA volunteer attached to the Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation.
He Loved The Twilight Zone and Later Wrote for It
On graduating from Jane Donohoe School as Valedictorian in 1962, George got a television, and he loved it as it allowed him to watch The Twilight Zone and Thriller. Years later, he received an offer from Philip DeGuere to help adapt his failed novel, ‘The Armageddon Rag.’ Though the film for his story failed, George’s relationship with Philip continued. When Philip became the producer for the Twilight Zone revival, he employed George as a writer.
Game of Thrones is the Most Awarded TV Show Ever
The adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s epic series, Game of Thrones, is the most awarded show ever. The show rose to stardom and soon became one of the most-watched shows in history. It bagged 272 awards and got nominated for 757.
He Still Writes on the WordStar 4.0
Though the word of writing has different word processing software, George still uses WordStar 4.0, a computer that runs on Microsoft DOS, one of Microsoft’s earliest Operating Systems. To this day, George uses WordStar word processing software.
He Asked Stephen King How He Wrote So Fast
Though A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the most-sold book series on Earth, many fans have expressed frustration with George’s slow-paced writing. With some of his books having over five years of interval, fans have requested that he speed up his writing. When George met Stephen King, he asked how he wrote so fast, a gift many of his fans wished he had.
He Drew Westeros in 30 Minutes
Though his writing has taken over two decades and is still incomplete, George created the fictional world in his series in just 30 minutes. From the Wall to King’s Landing, Winterfell, Pentos, and Meereen, George designed and created his fictional world with little effort.
Some of His Characters Got Inspired by His School Motto
In 1962, George graduated from Jane Donohoe School. Graduating as the Valedictorian, to his surprise, he stated that the motto for his school, ‘Honor before Honors,’ might have inspired the creation of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell.
His Father Was an Alcoholic
When asked about his father, George described Raymond Martin as an alcoholic. Besides that, George spoke little of his father.
He Disliked Writing for TV
After the failure of his novel ‘The Armageddon Rag,’ George decided to venture into Hollywood as a writer. However, he disliked it because the films he wrote were not released. He later decided to become a writer full-time, leading to the publication of ‘A Game of Thrones.’
He Called Himself a Lapsed Catholic
When asked about his religious views, George states one would call him a lapsed catholic. He also admits that he left Christianity and did not focus on religion, effectively making him an atheist or agnostic. However, he claims to be astonished by spirituality.
He Wrote the Backstory for Elden Ring
In 2022, FromSoftware Inc. released Elden Ring, a first-person action-adventure game with mythical creatures. The game became a massive hit and received the praise of many. It got revealed that George wrote the backstory and was a contributor to the worldbuilding for the game.
He Has a Library Tower
It should come as no news that an avid reader and writer such as George has an extensive library of books. What shocks people is that his library is a tower.
His Mother Got Warned by a Priest
Before he started going to Jane Donohoe School, a priest from a catholic school tried persuading George’s mother to bring her son to the school. However, she declined as the Catholic schools were large. She wanted him to study in a smaller class. When the priest learned that George was going to Jane Donohoe, he told his mother that she and her son were going to hell.
He Has a Unique Death Wish
Even though he has an extensive catalog of backstories to the world of Westeros, George decided that if he died before completing A Song of Ice and Fire, all his works not yet published should get burnt, and no one should continue the series for him.
FAQs
Is George R. R. Martin a fan of Stan Lee?
When he was in high school, George became an avid comic fan. His favorite comics were Fantastic Four and the Avengers, and he even stated that Stan Lee had more influence on him than Shakespeare did.
Why did George go to Jane Donohoe School?
George went to Jane Donohoe because his mother believed a small classroom was optimal for learning. Against the advice of a catholic priest, she registered George at Jane Donohoe.
Does George dislike war?
Though his stories contain wars, George is an advocate against war. He stated that he became radicalized to believe the United States’ wars were wrong. He even opted out of Vietnam War and took an alternative two-year service instead.
Will George R. R. Martin complete A Song of Ice and Fire?
Though he has been slow in releasing the sequel to his fifth novel, George has released information regarding the completion of A Song of Ice and Fire. He stated that they would be released soon, and their endings would differ from the TV show.
